The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-11-02

inevitable answer comes pach again, tne GU
Jet to be attained is not the nomination and
election of a Democratic Governor. but it is
the defeat of the present Democratic Coy
ernor, and the condemnation by the people
Of his administration, and his friends say
this can only be accomplished through the
| Nichols 10 this sort of personal politics
cannot give my assent, and do not believe
| that ii will receive the sanction OF tbs Bsm-
ocracy of Louisiana. ;,
BY whom was Gen. N1choils called Qlke an
| other Oincinnatus from his ,retiremenD to
lead the people Of Louisiana to their deliver
a1ce? Who Of the Democratic party WAS
consulted when this call was made? We're
| the friends of Moncare, the, friends Of JET
fries, the friends of Cnliningham, me trlends
| form no uncomfortable portion OF the Demo-
cratic people of the State. The call came
| from Gaddo, and how many of the people, OF
this parish we're consulted, may ASK? WAS
there great popular assemptage Or snesti VI Y
which passed resolutions calling Coy. Mich;
! oils to come forward as o candidate? And
| was this cry taken up and echoed by The
people from parish to parish until it became
| one great outburst OF patriotic sentiment
which could not be ignored-the VerltaDie
voice Of .he people? think this can hardly
| be pretended. THE call came in the shape
of a letter from q distinguished gentleman Of
| this city, which was published simultaneous
| ~ with the response OF Gov. NICHOLS.
THE LETTER AND THE RESPONSE
| evidenced previous consultation and agree
ment, but was this consultation and agree
ment of nature to bind any but those con-
cerned, or held among so large ana ln1uen-
| tial portion of the Democratic party, Of the
State as to be expressive OF the sentiments
and choice Of the party? Shh more more, dld II
sumo that they constituted the .Democratic
party, and could decide in, this arbitrary
manner what was best calculated to secure
| It's harmony and success? | deny all these
| propositions, and come back to, the one with
which started, which is that the campaign
being made by Gen. Nichols. or in his be-
| half, is not such one as should be waged IN
| the Democratic party, and is not conducive
| to ITS harmony or success.
Can we afford to have war IN the Demo-
cratic party of this State, still less to en-
courage war made upon it? And here l re-
peat what said in Monroe. that war upon
the Democratic administration of the State,
which we elected and placed in power, and
upon the party. The bitter. assaults made
| upon that ADMINISTERS ton, il true, give the
| lie to wha. [, as well rs others of your repre-
| sentatives have said i'll high places to which
we were accredited, in defense OF the gov
| eminent Of our State since it VAS RENTED
| to the control of It's own people. maintain
| the verify of my statements. Nothing has
| been alleged or proven to cause me to re-
| tract one iota OF my Endorsement of the hon
| esty, good faith and general success with
ministered by Gov. Nichols and his Demo-
| cratic successors to the present hour.
| THE PRESENT GOVERNOR OF LOUISIANA
| is now on trial, as have bsen his predeces-
sors. In the administration of his migrate
| tni office he has made enemies, as did they,
bat after ne shall have closed his official life.
| whether renonllnated or not, the verdict Of
the. people will be, as in the cases Of Nichols
| and the lamented Witt, that he was true
and devoted patriot, who filled the duties OF
his high office honoEably aud we'll, and with
| equal credit TO himself and the State
repeat, can the Democratic party afford
| to divide, and can we afford to war upan
each other! When | last canYassed this
State, and when last had the honor to make
a political speech in Shreveport there was
| divided into hostile camps. We We're united
and lighting as one man against COM
mon enemy. Can any one say that this
is now the case? Our Democratic news
papers now war upon each other., Our
mass meetings end conventions split into
factions, our State committee battle for
ascendency as il composed Of rival par
| ties. New tests are proposed TO our candi-
dates for Congress. and they are requested
to align themselves upon State and factional,
| instead OF national issues. Is this change
because, we have come into power i'll the
national government, and no longer have an
| organized enemy to light at home? Ii SO,
would far rather that our Old enemy. the
Republican party. was again fully organized
and strong enough to- contest with MS for
| political ascendency.. Then we would cease
| to battle among ourselves and turn 10 fight our
enemies. And how long may it be before our
opponents are in the field again to tale adj
party of this State still lives, though sleep.
ing. Their State committee lave recently
| been in session. They are ready 70 profit by
our divisions. / 90 not fear their party sue
cess. but are YOU wiling to divide and to per-
| yours. am not afraid of AFRICAN DONNA
ton, but are you willing to divide and to
| permit
THE NEGRO VOTE
| 70 hold the balance of power and to decide
the question between yonr con ending fac.
aons? | call Eo1r attention to these dangers
because they wai5 upon Giscord and OLSEN
| sion, and what has happened elsewhere in
| HE history OF the country may occur again
| The success, of Malone IN Virginia gre . ont
| OF division in the Democratic party, and the
colorpd vote converted his minority white
senate and temporarily gave the State to the
Republicans. In Mississippi the Independent
party IL 1883 vas composed Of boiling
Democrats, who organized the colored vote
ard caused all the political trouble III Copiah
and other counties.
We cannot afford to divide in this State,
and if we cannot afford to divide, We cannot
afford to make war upon each other.
You men Of Caddo have won your own lib
critics and conquered yOnr own peace by
your united and determined action. YoI
owe your success to no policy of compromise
or Cancellation. Do not in a campaign oil
strife and bitterness i1nperil or throw away
the blessings OF good government to which
you owe yonr, great and growing prosperity.
Aud now fellow-citizens permit me word
or two personal to myself have declined
to be drawn INTO war Of factions. which
have no. aided to inaugllrate, and I have
been OF course subjected to some
UNJUST AND UNwARRANTABLE CRITICISM.
have been charged by some of the small
partisans, and iii some OF the newspapers Of
IN the contest now going on in the State. anC
with being, in the vulgar slang OF the day,
''on the fence"
have taken, fellow-citizens, an humble
part IN the politics Of the State ever since
1868, when l returned to my home pa
as 8 private.
From that date until the full restoration o.
onr liberties in 1917, | took an actire par
IN every campaign waged by cur people fol
the redemption of our State and served tt
the best OF my ability wherever duty called
me. In all that time [ think my record vii
SHOW that L never shirked or failed to NEE
any POLITICAL issue, or any political enemy,
and that was never for one moment unde
clded, or ION the fence" when the interests
OF my party, or OF the people OF this State
we're concerned. I served the People Of hi,
State six years i'll the United States Senate,
and | challenge investigation of my recor(
to. shoS a, single instance whore 1 eve1
shirlied On failed to meet q single question
upon which difference of opinion existed
during my service in that body. still les
where [ failed in my duty to my people O,
any question III which their interests O.
honor were involved.
1t this is tue, and I challenge contradic
ton, can afford to treat with contempt. a
| do, the petty attacks which are made upol
ME, because do not choose to engage in :;
war upon membersof my own party and upon
Sae Democratic administration which it ha
placed in power.
lod deoT; citizens. do not aspire to part!